Meet the Griz: Keali’i Ah Yat Returns to Montana

Meet the Griz is a series that tells the stories of Montana Grizzlies athletes, coaches, and contributors. Here are some past "Meet the Griz" features:

Meet the Griz: Keal'i Ah Yat

Grizzly Quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat announced his return to Grizzly Football at the end of December with a playful tweet.

Ah Yat pulled a good bit on us, but there were legitimate suitors looking for a quarterback of his stature.

"I've been getting some texts and calls from agents and all types of stuff," explained Ah Yat. "But I try to stay out of that as much as possible just because it was happening during the season. So just keeping my main thing, the main thing and staying focused, but yeah, I got some texts and calls, but my focus was here and it was always on the grind."

Ah Yat vs. the Idaho Vandals in 2025. Credit: University of Montana Athletics

As much as Keali'i loves Montana and the ties it has to his family, there was a decision to be made for the Grizzly QB.

"Me and my family had to sit down and talk about, just weighing all the pros and cons and all the options," Ah Yat said on contemplating the transfer portal vs. staying in Missoula.

"Ultimately, in my heart, I just prayed about it, talked to God, talked to my family and just felt like this is what he wanted me to do."